Working conditions at Foxconn plants are well known to just about everyone at this point. And while executives have been paying lip service to improvements for years, it seems that things are finally looking up. But the improved conditions come at a cost.

For eight hours a day, Ms. Zhang collects complaints about the factory's free meals and dorms. She listens to workers who are divorcing, homesick or arguing with managers. When she finds someone suffering, she refers them to the company's full-time doctor or professional counselors.

All of which sounds like good, solid progress. The piece is filled with examples of better conditions re-humanizing workers. Still, there's a trade-off:

There are costs for workers, too. Quanta's employees earn slightly less than their peers at Foxconn. What's more, Quanta's emphasis on hours that are easier on employees means they are prohibited from overtime shifts that advocates say are abusive, but which some workers insist they want.

That makes sense when you think about it. While many employees are certainly forced into extreme overtime, others have very good reasons for needing the money that comes from those shifts. And while it would be ideal if wages rose to the point that those shifts aren't necessary, that still isn't happening, and in the interim, some employees are being caught in the middle. For the rest of the personal stories out of Foxconn, you should definitely check out the rest of the Times' report. Or check this chart of verified improvements, and improvements that are scheduled for the future. [NY Times]